Gertrude Haas Hohlt

Gertrude Hohlt, longtime resident of Brenham Texas, died March 15, 2026 in Conroe, Texas at the age of 97. Gertrude was born August 18, 1928 in the German-American farming community of Prairie Hill, Texas to John W. Haas and Frieda Witt Haas. Her first language was German which she spoke until her parents taught her English as they prepared her to start school. She was raised in a Christian family and was baptized and confirmed at St. John's Lutheran Church in Prairie Hill. Growing up she developed a strong sense of family as her parent’s homestead was in walking distance to both sets of grandparents and a multitude of aunts, uncles and cousins.

She was the oldest of three children. Being eight years older than her brother and eighteen years older than her sister, she learned at a young age how to help her parents around the farm and to help take care of her siblings. She attended Prairie Hill schools and enjoyed riding her horse Daisy to classes. Throughout her life, she held on to time-honored values like many members of her generation that grew up during a most challenging era. And despite the many hardships of that time, she had many cherished memories due to her family’s focus on church, family, and community.

In her late teens, she began working at the Ben Franklin store in Brenham. One day, while strolling around the courthouse square on a lunch break, she caught the eye of a young soldier from Welcome, Texas who was on leave from Fort Hood in Killeen. After a year or so of dating, she married that soldier, Eugene H. Hohlt, on October 11, 1948 at St. John’s Lutheran Church in Prairie Hill.

Gertrude immediately joined Eugene in his travels with the U. S. Army. While initially living at Fort Hood, they soon moved to Schofield Barracks in Honolulu, Hawaii. They remained there for three years where they started their family. Gertrude enjoyed her time there, but couldn’t afford to visit her parents due to a soldier’s modest salary and the high cost of travel in those days. So she missed them greatly. Weekly letters and occasional long distance phone calls were her only means to stay in touch with her beloved family back home. And she had so much to tell and so much to find out.

Their next stop was back in the states at Fort Sill in Lawton, Oklahoma. They stayed there for two years and were finally able to drive home occasionally to visit her family in person again. Eventually, they decided it was time to return to civilian life to raise their boys near their families in Washington and Austin counties. They set up housekeeping in Brenham in 1954 and joined St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church where Gertrude was a faithful member for the remainder of her life. In her last year, she resided in Conroe, Texas to be nearer to her surviving son.

Gertrude spent most of her adult years taking care of others. She was a devoted and supportive wife, a nurturing stay at home mom, a caring daughter, a loving sister, a doting grandmother and a loyal friend to the many people that she met along her life’s journey. She was a very social person and loved to entertain and visit with relatives, friends and neighbors. She also enjoyed baking, taking care of her pets, and tending to her flower beds and vegetable garden. She loved to sing, dance, play cards and dominoes. She loved to volunteer at her church and in her later years, she enjoyed fellowship at the Senior Center.

She lived a very content and humble life. She was never a materialistic or pretentious person, but always kept an orderly and comfortable home in which her family and friends always felt welcome.

She was preceded in death by her parents, husband, son and daughter-in-law Gary and Mary Hohlt, parents-in-law Robert and Meta Hohlt, brother and sister-in-law Billie and Marlene Haas, sister-in-law and brother-in-law Meta and Henry Schrader, and brother-in-law Robert C. Hohlt. She was also preceded in death by special longtime friend Arthur Fuelberg.

Surviving family include her son and daughter-in-law Danny and Claudia Hohlt, her sister and brother-in-law Betty and Fred Kolkhorst, granddaughters Melissa Thomas (Bill), Erin Catchings (Jason), Megan Jones (Kyle), grandson Brian Hohlt, step grandsons Matt Hollech and Ty Thomas, and step granddaughter Melissa Hollech along with nine great grandchildren and one great great grandchild. She will also be missed by nieces Donna Petrash, Lisa Tarver, and Holly Hawlyruk and nephew Kurt Kolkhorst.

Pallbearers will be Anderson Catchings, Jason Catchings, Brian Hohlt, Jacob Hohlt, Kyle Jones, and Bill Thomas.

The family would like to express their appreciation to the staff and nurses of Home Select Hospice for the care and support they provided over the past several months.

Visitation will be Friday March 20th at 1pm at Brenham Memorial Chapel with funeral services beginning at 2pm with Pastor Pat Dietrich and Pastor Donna Krueger officiating. Burial will follow in Prairie Lea Cemetery.

In lieu of flowers, the family requests donations be made to St. Paul’s Evangelical Lutheran Church, 305 W. Third St., Brenham, TX 77833.

Services are in the care of Brenham Memorial Chapel, 2300 Stringer St., Brenham, 77833. 979-836-3611 Condolences may be shared at www.brenhammemorialchapel.com.